Art of refining petroleum products.



UNITED STATES PATENT cumen..-

CHARLES K. FRANCIS .AITD DAVID G. MORGAN, OFTULSA, OICLAHOMA, ASSIGNORSF ONE-HALF TO COSDEN & COMPANY, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, A C ORPORATION OFStatesof America, and residentsof Tulsa, in

the county of Tulsa, State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in the Art of Refining Petroleum p, Products, ofwhich the following is a full,

clear, and exact description.

I This invention relates to improvements in the art of refiningpetroleum, or petroleum products, and more particularly to a process ofobtaining water white petroleum products. ,The Invention is especiallyadapted for use in the treatment of crackedv products such as thegasolenes, naphthas and kerosenes obtained from the distillates ofpressure stills, or cracking stills. Products of cracking stills knownas pressure distillate, cracked gasolene, kerosene and the like hax e anobjectionable odor and color. which should be eliminated before thecracked products are sold to the consumer, for either the color or theodor would very materially reduce the market value of the products. Ithas, however, been both difiicult and expensive to obtain permanentwater white products by therefining operations to which the crackeddistillate isordinarily subjected. One of the most diflicult problemslies in the ermanent elimination of the color. Some 0 the earlierprocesses'produce water white products which eventually turn to ayellowish or brownish color when left for a while standing when exposedto thelight, this being particularly true of the kerosene fractionobtained by redistilling cracked distillate.

One of the objects of the present invention is to eliminate or improvethe objectionable odor of petroleum products, especially the gasolenes,naphthas and kerosenes obtained from cracked distillate.

Another object is to permanently remove, and absolutely eliminate fromthe products, the property of darkening in color when exposed to light.

In the preferred form of the invention, all of these objects areaccomplished by commingling saponaceous material with the petroleum, orpetroleum" product, to be treated, and distilling the resultant mixture.More specifically stated, the saponaceous material may be repared bypartially or completely saponi ying a fat or suitable 011 with PatentedAug. 19, 1919.

OKLAHOMA.

. ART OF BEFINING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS. 7

1,313,629. Specification of Letters Patent.

- No Drawing Application filed December 16, 1918; Serial No. 267,067.

caustic soda (sodium hydroxid). lVhen saponification is complete, sodiumcarbonate is added. This excess alkaline carbonate has very materiallyincreased the efficiency, of the saponaceous mixture.

In the treatment of cracked distillate resulting from the distillationof gas oil under pressure, we have found that the saponaceous mixturemay consist of lard 2 parts, sodium hydroxid 0.3 part, and sodiumcarbonate 3 parts. About one pound of this mixture may be used for eachbarrel of the distillate to be treated. The distillate may be subjectedto a preliminary treatment with acid and washing with alkali, but it isnot necessary to completely carry out the ordinary sweetening operationat this stage.

Thesaponaceous material, containing an excess of the alkaline carbonateis placed in a still where it commingles 'with the hydro-v carbon liquidto be treated, and the distilla tion is carried out in any suitablemanner, with fire alone, or with fire and steam, or with steam alone.The still conditions may be varied according to the product desired; forexample, if a li ht distillate is being treated to obtain gaso ene'ornaphtha, steam alone may be used to heat the mixture, or if alow gravityliquid such as gas oil is to be distilled under pressure, fire alone maybe used to heat the charge. It will therefore be understood that the newprocess can be carried out while the hydrocarbon liquid is undergoingone of the ordinary distilling operations to which it is subjected inthe refinery. The distillation is an important step in the processherein disclosed, but it adds almost nothing to the cost of removing thecolor, odor, etc.

We have found, however, that the charge contained in the still should beagitated so as to prevent the ingredients of the special mixture fromsettling to the bottom of the still, at the same time causing them tothoroughly commingle with the hydrocarbon'liquid. This may beaccomplished by forcibly circulating the charge in the still, or by thenatural ebullition of the boilin liquid, or by mechanical agitatorsmounts in the still.

Actual experience has shown that this simple process, involving adistillation! of hydrocarbon liquid commingled with a saponaceousmixture, results in a water white distillate, and in the permanentremoval of the propert of the darkening in color when left stan ing orwhen exposed to light. It also very greatly improves the odor of theproducts. In carrying out the new process we have also found that thecharge can be reduced lower than islcustomary. This results in anincreased yield of marketable kerosene, which is of course more valuablethanthe residual product in the still.

Although we have herein disclosed the specific details ofa preferredmethod, pointing out animalfat as the preferred saponifiable -material,and also setting forth the precise proportions of several ingredientswhich have given entire satisfaction, it is to be understood that theinvention comprehends modifications within the scope of the claimshereunto appended. We may add, however, that the liquid undergoingtreatment must be distilled while commingled with a saponaceous materialtogether with an excess of sodiuni carbonate. The mixture should beagitated during the distilling operation and it is essential to use anexcess 0 alkaline carbonate in this saponaceous mixture.

By alkali is meant alkaline carbonates as well as the caustic alkalis.

We claim: a

1. In the art of refining petroleum hydrocarbons to obtain water whiteproducts, the process which comprises commlngling with the hydrocarbonliquid a saponaceous mixture containing an excess of alkali, anddistillin the resultant mixture.

'2. n the art of refining petroleum hydrocarbons to obtain water whiteproducts, the process which comprises c'ommingling a saponifiablesubstance with an alkali to produce a saponaceous mixture, commmglmgsaid saponaceous mixture with a hydrocarbon liquid, and.agitating and atthe same time distilling the resultant mixture.

3. In the art of refining cracked petroleum fat and an excess of alkali,and distilling the resultant mixture.

, 4. The herein described rocess of treating cracked petroleumdistillates to obtain water white products, which comprises saponifyinga fat, adding an excess ofalkali, commingling this saponaceous mixturewith the cracked distillate to be treated, distilling the resultantmass, and agitating the mass while it is undergoing distillation.

Theherein describedprocess of treating cracked petroleum distillates toobtain water white products, which comprises saponifying animal fat withcaustic soda, using 2 parts of fat, 0.3 part of caustic soda and adding3 parts of sodium carbonate, and when saponification is complete addingan excess of alkali, comminglin this saponaceous mixture with the crackedis? tilliate to be treated, using about one pound of the saponaceousmaterial to each barrel of the cracked distillate, distilling theresultant mixture, and agitating the mlxture while it is undergoingistillation. t

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we hereunto aflixour-signatures.

CHAS. K. FRANCIS. DAVID s. MORGAN.

